JOHN ZORN : Lemma (2013) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Zorn’s virtuosic string music is legendary and this CD focuses on his compositions for violin. Two major new works for solo violin—Passagen (based on the legendary B-A-C-H motif) and Ceremonial Magic (which appeared on Rimbaud in a duo realization with drums but here is presented as a virtuoso solo piece); and an enigmatic suite of 12 miniatures for 2 violins entitled Apophthegms. Featuring three incredible young virtuosos: Pauline Kim, David Fulmer and Chris Otto, Lemma is a CD of wildly imaginative string music performed with passion and fiery intensity. TZADIK
Apophthegms 2012    20:56
first set    
1    i    0:45
2    ii    1:07
3    iii    1:44
4    iv    1:23
5    v    1:34
6    vi    1:50
second set    
7    vii    2:41
8    viii    1:49
9    ix    2:05
10    x    1:20
11    xi    1:55
12    xii    2:47
Passagen 2011    
13    Passagen    14:19
Ceremonial Magic 2011    
14    i    5:27
15    ii    4:05
16    iii    5:51
17    iv    3:49
Credits :
Composed By, Producer, Artwork – John Zorn
Violin – Chris Otto (pistas: 1 to 12), David Fulmer (pistas: 1 to 12, 14 to 17), Pauline Kim (pistas: 13)

JOHN ZORN : On the Torment of Saints, the Casting of Spells and the Evocation of Spirits (2013) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Three pieces of magic and religious mysticism performed by a new generation of musical masters! Written as a companion piece to “Walpurgisnacht” (2004), “All Hallows’ Eve” is a tour de force in three movements for string trio—satanic counterpoint for the Witches’ Sabbath. Written as a gift to the ICE ensemble, Zorn wrote “The Tempest” as a musical reading of Shakespeare’s mystical and enigmatic last play. Finally, the virtuosic Chicago-based Fifth House Ensemble performs Zorn’s mini piano concerto in the form of a philosophical dialogue between St. Anthony and his tormentors. TZADIK
Tracklist :
1    The Tempest (A Masque) 11'20
Clarinet, Bass Clarinet – Joshua Rubin
Drums, Percussion – Nathan Davis
Ensemble – International Contemporary Ensemble
Flute – Claire Chase
All Hallows' Eve (Satanic Counterpoint For The Witches' Sabbath)    (15:16)
2    Matins 9'29
Violin – Chris Otto
Viola – David Fulmer
Cello – Jay Campbell
3    Lauds 4'09
Violin – Chris Otto
Viola – David Fulmer
Cello – Jay Campbell
4    Vespers 1'37
Violin – Chris Otto
Viola – David Fulmer
Cello – Jay Campbell
5    The Temptations Of St. Anthony (Thirteen Talismatic Antiphons For Piano And Nine Instruments) 8'46
Bass – Eric Snoza
Bassoon – Karl Rzasa
Cello – Herine Coetzee Koschak
Clarinet – Jennifer Woodrum
English Horn – Crystal Hall
Ensemble – Fifth House Ensemble
Flute – Melissa Snoza
French Horn – Matt Monroe
Piano – Jani Parsons
Viola – Clark Carruth
Violin – Andrew Williams
Credits :
Composed By, Liner Notes – John Zorn
Painting [Cover Painting] – Dali
Painting [Disc And Right Inside Booklet Painting] – Goya
Painting [Obi And Left Inside Booklet Painting] – Michelangelo

JOHN ZORN : Fragmentations, Prayers And Interjections (2014) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Four of Zorn’s compositions for large ensembles performed by Arcana, a special hand-picked orchestra of New York virtuosos under the baton of Maestro David Fulmer. Including “Orchestra Variations,” the monumental masterwork “Suppots et Suppliciations,” a definitive performance of Zorn’s violin concerto “Contes de Fées” brilliantly performed by Chris Otto, and the lush string orchestra version of Zorn’s soulful “Kol Nidre” this is dramatic and colorful orchestral music passionately performed by 83 dedicated new music masters—a special release indeed! TZADIK
Tracklist :
1    Orchestra Variations    5:20
2    Contes De Fées 12:30
Violin, Soloist – Chris Otto
3    Kol Nidre    8:14
4    Suppôts Et Suppliciations    20:13
All Credits

JOHN ZORN : Myth And Mythopoeia (2014) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This is a fabulous collection of five of Zorn’s most exciting and dynamic recent compositions performed by a variety of new music superstars. Pandora’s Box features the acclaimed Arditti Quartet and the brilliant soprano Sarah Sun in one of Zorn’s most colorful and dramatic compositions. Babel is a hard driving fantasia on one note for solo cello and is performed here by the incredible cellist Jeff Zeigler. Hexentarot and Zeitgehöft are two complex fingerbusters performed by Zorn regulars Otto, Campbell and Gosling, and rounding out the CD is the stunning instrumental Requiem Missa Sine Voces, performed by the renowned Talea Ensemble. TZADIK
Tracklist :
1    Pandora's Box 13'48
Cello [Arditti Quartet] – Lucas Fels
Ensemble – Arditti Quartet
Recorded By – Alex Harker
Viola [Arditti Quartet] – Ralf Ehlers
Violin [Arditti Quartet] – Ashot Sarkissjan, Irvine Arditti
Voice – Sarah Maria Sun
2    Missa Sine Voces 13'25
Bass Drum [Talea Ensemble], Percussion [Talea Ensemble] – Alex Lipowski
Chimes [Talea Ensemble] – Matthew Gold
Conductor [Talea Ensemble] – James Baker
Ensemble – Talea Ensemble
Harp [Talea Ensemble] – Nuiko Wadden
Piano [Talea Ensemble] – Stephen Beck
Vibraphone [Vibes] [Talea Ensemble] – Matthew Ward
3    Zeitgehöft 9'16
Cello – Jay Campbell
Recorded By – Marc Urselli
Violin – Chris Otto
4    Babel 4'56
Cello – Jeff Zeigler
Recorded By – Scott Fraser
Recorded By [Recorded With] – Francisco Botero, Lawson White
5    Hexentarot 6'37
Cello – Jeff Zeigler
Piano – Stephen Gosling
Recorded By – Silas Brown
Violin – Chris Otto

JOHN ZORN : Hen To Pan (2015) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Focusing on the brilliant cellist Jay Campbell, soon to be a new music superstar, along with the equally masterful Michael Nicolas, Chris Otto and Stephen Gosling, these three powerful compositions take chamber music to a whole new level of intensity. Three realizations of Zorn’s infamous composition for two celli “Ouroboros” (two featuring guest percussionist Tyshawn Sorey) along with his canonic puzzle “Occam’s Razor” and the ten metaphysical ambiguities comprising the piano trio “The Aristos,” this is chamber music as you have never heard it before— visceral, intense and powerfully emotional. TZADIK
Tracklist :
1    Ouroboros (Trio Version 1) 9'03
Cello – Jay Campbell, Michael Nicolas
Drums – Tyshawn Sorey
2    Occam's Razor — (Canons, Interludes And Fantasies For Cello And Piano) 9'27
Cello – Jay Campbell
Piano – Stephen Gosling
3    Ouroboros (Duo Version) 9'03
Cello – Jay Campbell, Michael Nicolas
4    The Aristos — (Ten Metaphysical Ambiguities For Violin, Cello And Piano) 13'02
Cello – Jay Campbell
Piano – Stephen Gosling
Violin – Chris Otto
5    Ouroboros (Trio Version 2) 9'01
Cello – Jay Campbell, Michael Nicolas
Drums – Tyshawn Sorey
Credits :
Composed By, Producer – John Zorn

JOHN ZORN : Encomia (2019) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Featuring the fabulous virtuoso pianist Stephen Gosling, "Encomia" is a collection of tributes to many of Zorn's musical heroes.The first "Book of Preludes" consists of three impressionistic pieces in the tradition of Debussy and Ravel that pay tribute to the legendary ballet dancer Nijinsky, the author Novalis creator of the prose poem, and the Hellenistic 3rd century poet Nossis. "Encomia" is a suite of tributes to five of Zorn’smusical heroes that run the gamut of styles from minimalism to maximalism. Violinist Chris Otto joins Stephen Gosling for the final piece, a new composition for violin and piano inspired by the writings of Sigmund Freud. A remarkable program of some of the most beautiful music Zorn has ever written. TZADIK
Preludes: Book One    
1    Novalis    6:24
2    A Prayer For Nossis    6:23
3    Nijinsky    7:27
Encomia: Five Short Pieces For Solo Piano    
4    Speculum    2:11
5    Penumbra    3:14
6    Stretta    1:58
7    Occultation    2:46
8    Arborescence    2:42
9    Die Traumdeutung    9:40
Credits :
Artwork [Collages], Composed By [All Music Composed By], Producer [Produced By] – John Zorn
Piano – Stephen Gosling
Violin – Chris Otto (pistas: 9)